Pakistan chief justice summons son over graft reports

Islamabad, June 6 (IANS) Pakistan Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, taking note of a whisper campaign about his son’s involvement with a property tycoon to influence cases pending in court, has summoned them Wednesday.

Dawn reported that Chaudhry took notice of the whisper campaign that Malik Riaz, a property tycoon, had got his son Arsalan Iftikhar involved in a business deal to influence cases pending before the court against him.

The chief justice ordered that the matter be placed before his bench Wednesday and issued notice to Malik Riaz and Arsalan. Attorney General Irfan Qadir has also been issued notice.

He acted on a note by Supreme Court Registrar Faqir Hussain that said allegations were being levelled in TV talk shows that Malik Riaz had engaged Arsalan with a view to influence the judicial process.

The note pointed out the allegation that Rs.300 to 400 million had been given to Arsalan. Also, expenses on foreign trips were borne by the property tycoon.

Malik Riaz face a number of cases in the Supreme Court that were filed by people who have accused him of grabbing large chunks of land and merging them into his Bahria Town project.